Hi, I'm Gretchen

Hi, I'm Gretchen

I'm not just a health psychologist.I'm also a woman with PCOS.

I'm not just a health psychologist.I'm also a woman with PCOS.

Let me guess: You’re here because you’re tired of struggling. You’ve tried every diet you’ve come across, perhaps with some success, but you always end up feeling deprived and wind up on that up-down yo-yo. You just want to feel pretty like those other women who don’t have to deal with this, who have no idea what it’s like to not feel feminine. You’re tired of feeling downright depressed or anxious about your health, your looks, or whether you can get pregnant. You wish you could just feel good, both physically and emotionally. And, you’re tired of what feels like every other woman around you getting pregnant meanwhile you wind up broken-hearted every time you look at that pee stick and it’s missing an extra blue line.

Let me guess: You’re here because you’re tired of struggling. You’ve tried every diet you’ve come across, perhaps with some success, but you always end up feeling deprived and wind up on that up-down yo-yo. You just want to feel pretty like those other women who don’t have to deal with this, who have no idea what it’s like to not feel feminine. You’re tired of feeling downright depressed or anxious about your health, your looks, or whether you can get pregnant. You wish you could just feel good, both physically and emotionally. And, you’re tired of what feels like every other woman around you getting pregnant meanwhile you wind up broken-hearted every time you look at that pee stick and it’s missing an extra blue line.

In 1995, I had my first Dilation & Cutterage of my uterus. This was followed up with 25 other surgeries (nearly all of which were connected to PCOS in some form or another), a diabetes diagnosis, weight gain struggles, innumerable missed periods, and immeasurable heartache over my infertility issues.

For many years, I worked and worked at improving my health, improving my fertility, improving my quality of life….

I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was in my early 20s.

In 1995, I had my first Dilation & Cutterage of my uterus. This was followed up with 25 other surgeries (nearly all of which were connected to PCOS in some form or another), a diabetes diagnosis, weight gain struggles, innumerable missed periods, and immeasurable heartache over my infertility issues.

For many years, I worked and worked at improving my health, improving my fertility, improving my quality of life….

But after years of trying it all, working out up to three times a day, after phases of obsessing over every tactic and putting it out of my head as much as possible, after trying, struggling, hoping and wishing for a baby (and then finally accepting it when the best of the best western medicine has to offer told me my case was just “too high-risk”), I’ve learned a thing or two about what is true about living with PCOS and what isn’t. I’ve learned about how bad the experience can be and how meaningful and empowering it can be. And I’ve learned acceptance for my own experience and empathy for the experiences of other women who live with their PCOS everyday. I draw from all of this experience in my clinical practice, where I’ve been focusing on therapeutic offerings for patients of PCOS and other endocrine disorders since 2006(?).

But after years of trying it all, working out up to three times a day, after phases of obsessing over every tactic and putting it out of my head as much as possible, after trying, struggling, hoping and wishing for a baby (and then finally accepting it when the best of the best western medicine has to offer told me my case was just “too high-risk”), I’ve learned a thing or two about what is true about living with PCOS and what isn’t. I’ve learned about how bad the experience can be and how meaningful and empowering it can be. And I’ve learned acceptance for my own experience and empathy for the experiences of other women who live with their PCOS everyday. I draw from all of this experience in my clinical practice, where I’ve been focusing on therapeutic offerings for patients of PCOS and other endocrine disorders since 2006(?).

So, after all those hard lessons, how do I do it differently now? Oh, let me count the ways....

So, after all those hard lessons, how do I do it differently now? Oh, let me count the ways....

I am no-bullshit about my health and am the ultimate self-advocate.

I am no-bullshit about my health and am the ultimate self-advocate.

No one knows, understands and cares for my body better than me. I’ve realized that doctors, though integral in the process, are not demi-gods with the last word. I consider them more like (high-priced!) consultants–part of my advisory board, but I’m the CEO.

I treat my diabetes as if my life depended on it, because guess what – It does.

I do almost all of my cooking and have mastered the art of balancing health with a little indulgence here and there (Don’t believe me? Ask me about THE BEST gluten-free brownie recipe I perfected myself and find out…).

And by now, I know more about nutrition, supplements, and health care management than most doctors do–and I’m not even bragging about it.

No one knows, understands and cares for my body better than me. I’ve realized that doctors, though integral in the process, are not demi-gods with the last word. I consider them more like (high-priced!) consultants–part of my advisory board, but I’m the CEO.

I treat my diabetes as if my life depended on it, because guess what – It does.

I do almost all of my cooking and have mastered the art of balancing health with a little indulgence here and there (Don’t believe me? Ask me about THE BEST gluten-free brownie recipe I perfected myself and find out…).

And by now, I know more about nutrition, supplements, and health care management than most doctors do–and I’m not even bragging about it.

I set boundaries for my emotional and mental wellbeing and practice radical self-love.

I set boundaries for my emotional and mental wellbeing and practice radical self-love.

This means that, sorry, pregnant friends, as happy as I might try to be for you, I also might need to avoid your baby shower at all costs. I also might be blocking all the “Am I pregnant? Check out my pee stick!” posts in PCOS Facebook groups. Definitely not out of ill-will, but purely out of self-preservation.

When depression does begin to reveal itself, I respect its power by responding immediately with my bag of tricks that I know work for me.

This means that, sorry, pregnant friends, as happy as I might try to be for you, I also might need to avoid your baby shower at all costs. I also might be blocking all the “Am I pregnant? Check out my pee stick!” posts in PCOS Facebook groups. Definitely not out of ill-will, but purely out of self-preservation.

When depression does begin to reveal itself, I respect its power by responding immediately with my bag of tricks that I know work for me.

And above all, I try to stay gentle and empathetic with myself because just from living with PCOS, my body and my brain are always taking one for the team. I execute a very high-level, high-intensity program of self-care every single day and for all of my efforts at healthy living, I still have “a PCOS body.” I choose to love myself and my body anyway.

And above all, I try to stay gentle and empathetic with myself because just from living with PCOS, my body and my brain are always taking one for the team. I execute a very high-level, high-intensity program of self-care every single day and for all of my efforts at healthy living, I still have “a PCOS body.” I choose to love myself and my body anyway.

I share my expertise with as many people as I can, PCOS patients or otherwise. And, I educate the hell out of my clients, so they don’t make the same mistakes I made, so they know they’re not alone, so they know that how they feel is valid, and so they feel empowered to advocate for themselves.

I share my expertise with as many people as I can, PCOS patients or otherwise. And, I educate the hell out of my clients, so they don’t make the same mistakes I made, so they know they’re not alone, so they know that how they feel is valid, and so they feel empowered to advocate for themselves.

Awareness is key. Information is power. And life even with PCOS can be pretty incredible if we would just take it by the reigns.

You CAN live free even with PCOS.PCOS Wellness can help.

You CAN live free even with PCOS. PCOS Wellness can help.

What is PCOS Wellness?

I’m on a mission to help women with PCOS everywhere and PCOS Wellness is my passion project. There’s a lot of hype out there. A lot of misinformation. And there’s a lot of unanswered questions. I’m here to help you see your way through it all.

I’m here to help you sort through the baloney and find the real nuggets of truth.

Through my free resources and my self-paced coaching digital products, it is my goal to help you find what works for YOU. I want to give you the tools and the information you need to feel confident in your choices, to feel confident in insisting on getting the medical and emotional support you need, and to let go of some of the fears and inhibitions that keep you from living your happiest life. And I want you to know that you’re not alone in your struggle.

What is PCOS Wellness?

I’m on a mission to help women with PCOS everywhere and PCOS Wellness is my passion project. There’s a lot of hype out there. A lot of misinformation. And there’s a lot of unanswered questions. I’m here to help you see your way through it all.

I’m here to help you sort through the baloney and find the real nuggets of truth.

Through my free resources and my self-paced coaching digital products, it is my goal to help you find what works for YOU. I want to give you the tools and the information you need to feel confident in your choices, to feel confident in insisting on getting the medical and emotional support you need, and to let go of some of the fears and inhibitions that keep you from living your happiest life. And I want you to know that you’re not alone in your struggle.

Every woman deserves to feel beautiful. Every woman deserves to feel healthy. And every woman deserves to feel at peace with herself. This is what I want for you. And this is what I want to advocate for, for every woman.

Life is beautiful and you have this big, beautiful opportunity right in front of you. So, now tell me, are you ready to take the driver’s seat of your health? Do you want to find the path of least resistance to your happiness?

Every woman deserves to feel beautiful. Every woman deserves to feel healthy. And every woman deserves to feel at peace with herself. This is what I want for you. And this is what I want to advocate for, for every woman.

Life is beautiful and you have this big, beautiful opportunity right in front of you. So, now tell me, are you ready to take the driver’s seat of your health? Do you want to find the path of least resistance to your happiness?

Disclaimer: Stock photography Models are not actual patients of, nor are they affiliated with, PCOSwellness. The context in which the photographs are used on this website is not intended to reflect personally on any of the Models shown in the photographs. View terms and conditions.